It takes a special kind of temperament to handle the scrutiny of the draft process with grace. For Vernon Hargreaves III, an All-America cornerback out of Florida, the cool came naturally. The former five-star recruit has been in the spotlight his entire life, so the weeks leading up to the first round of the draft—when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him at No. 11—were no different.

Still, that doesn’t mean the road to Round 1 came easily. Hargreaves had to deal with the pressure, uncertainty and occasional surprise that came with being a can't-miss prospect. He also got a crash course in the volatility of the news cycle, especially when enemies emerged.

In the final episode of Draft Season in 2016, Joan Niesen visits with Hargreaves on draft day as he lands with his hometown team. While he couldn’t have dreamed of a better NFL outcome, his journey to that point was far from perfect.

Draft Season takes listeners behind the scenes of one of the most anticipated events in sports and offers a look into the experience of a different prospect every week. Each pick is a player. Each player has a story. This is Hargreaves’s.

More NFL

We've Got Apps Too

Get expert analysis, unrivaled access, and the award-winning storytelling only SI can provide - from Peter King, Tom Verducci, Lee Jenkins, Seth Davis, and more - delivered straight to you, along with up-to-the-minute news and live scores.